History is made when Colonel Edwin Drake "discovers" Oil in a well, while he is drilling at Titusville in Northern Venango County. Shortly thereafter Oil City, located 15 miles south of Titusville, becomes the center of commerce for the oil industry. Oil City's population swells to over 20,000.

1930-Mid 1970's

The Kraft family owned the Kraft Brothers Markets in Oil City and in Titusville. These meat markets offered frozen food locker rentals and hamloaf was one of their most popular items. Other meat markets quickly followed by offering hamloaf.

1976-1988

Leo and Mary Gahr purchased the Oil City store and renamed it Gahr's Southside Market. They offered deer processing and beef processing, smoked meats and catering services. During the 1980's hamloaf becomes their most popular item. Leo and Mary Gahr retired in 1988.

1989-1999

The request for hamloaf kept coming even though it was not being made and sold in a store (occasionally, a family member would make a large quantity and rumors would go around that it was available again).
 

April 1999

Gahr's Hamloaf is again made under state inspection and is available to the public at local farmers' markets. Many visitors to Venango County "discover" hamloaf and inquire about nationwide shipping.

February 2003

A new facility is opened, under USDA federal inspection, to allow for increased  productivity and to offer the product for wholesale business. The product name is changed to Gahr's Loaf Mix and the company name is changed to Gahr's Hamloaf Company.

April 2003

We started shipping our product nationwide.

July 2004

We began selling wholesale to businesses. Some of these businesses are not food stores as you can see from our vendor list.

March 2005

Welcome to our website!